Book EK or QF and EK upgrade options

[Jleno]

So I'm about to book a BNE-SIN return for my parents. They don't fly sufficiently frequently to warrant choosing one or the other for points purposes. On QF I could pool their points but given the rate of earn and the discount fares, I don't care about the QF points.

However I do recall a couple of years ago when I booked directly with EK that they had an upgrade to business offer for a couple of hundred dollars, which I took up. I can't remember this ever happening with QF.

So, my questions:
1. do people know whether EK still offer paid upgrades from time to time? I am more than happy to book with EK for a chance that an upgrade offer will be made rather than get the QF points.
2. presumably EK would not offer paid upgrades if one books with QF (even though it is EK metal)?
3. any recommendations to book with either QF or with EK (assuming that it will ultimately be EK metal either way and price is the same)?

K

 

[greenfish]

So I'm about to book a BNE-SIN return for my parents. They don't fly sufficiently frequently to warrant choosing one or the other for points purposes. On QF I could pool their points but given the rate of earn and the discount fares, I don't care about the QF points.

However I do recall a couple of years ago when I booked directly with EK that they had an upgrade to business offer for a couple of hundred dollars, which I took up. I can't remember this ever happening with QF.

So, my questions:
1. do people know whether EK still offer paid upgrades from time to time? I am more than happy to book with EK for a chance that an upgrade offer will be made rather than get the QF points.
2. presumably EK would not offer paid upgrades if one books with QF (even though it is EK metal)?
3. any recommendations to book with either QF or with EK (assuming that it will ultimately be EK metal either way and price is the same)?

K

Quite a different product, Emirates are using the 777 with 10 across seating up to Singapore (cramped, decent AVOD), Qantas will be an A330 with 8 across (and very dated AVOD).

Emirates is a 02:35 departure from BNE (yuck), QF will be a morning departure.

I'd go QF, take an iPad, and pay to select seats so they can get a window seat pair. It is a shortish day flight with a relatively poor J product, so I wouldn't bother with upgrades.

 

[greenfish]

Quite a different product, Emirates are using the 777 with 10 across seating up to Singapore (cramped, decent AVOD), Qantas will be an A330 with 8 across (and very dated AVOD).

Emirates is a 02:35 departure from BNE (yuck), QF will be a morning departure.

I'd go QF, take an iPad, and pay to select seats so they can get a window seat pair. It is a shortish day flight with a relatively poor J product, so I wouldn't bother with upgrades.

And don't forget to check the SQ and EY options (EY will stop flying this route in the middle of 2015)